Before the sun peeks over the horizon, a glow illuminates the computer screen in my office. Feeling like a kid in a candy store, I sift through submissions, waiting to be reeled into irresistible tales filled with fresh surroundings and rich characters. Once I confirm that the author followed the submission guidelines, I dive a bit deeper into the first fifty pages. After selecting the polished gem that caught and held my attention, I turn to other tasks for the morning. By lunchtime, when I’m still wondering what happens next, I ask for more. Then I wait, savoring the possibilities until the full manuscript arrives. I love to find talent, and you may think the ball is in the publisher’s court, but the power is with the author.

Subgenre soup. There are so many ways to approach science fiction, a world of possibilities. I am always a sucker for a military hunk or a kick ass chick. Heroes are great! Toss them into a post-apocalyptic world or medical disaster, even better. Throw in a new galaxy or introduce a few aliens, I’m in. Is technology the real star? Is our journey through time? You’ve got my attention. Which one is my favorite? It doesn’t matter. If you love your work, your passion for it will breathe life into the manuscript and that excitement will be contagious. There has been some buzz recently about whether publishers accept humorous science fiction. Really? If you have written a well-crafted work that holds a publisher’s attention, and can effectively conceptualize the right audience, subgenre takes a back seat.

I get car sick. Don’t sell me in circles, just speak from your heart. I want to be as excited about your work as you are. Take a break from writing and really think through the materials for the submission requirements. Polish your pitch and short description, so that you will catch my eye. Imagine yourself walking down a long line of publishers. There are a hundred other authors walking beside you and each of you has thirty seconds to speak to each publisher before moving to the next. How will you use those thirty seconds to compel that person to fall in love with your story and request more? Don’t be shy or cryptic in your synopsis. Share the vibrancy of your characters and plotline, and don’t leave out the ending. Then, close your eyes and envision who is reading your book. Share that image with us. We don’t expect you to be a marketing expert, but you should be able to tell us who your readers are and why they want to read your book.

OCD ain’t all bad. Polish your entire manuscript, not just the first fifty pages. Yeah, I know, contest deadlines and project target completion dates don’t always match. You can still rise to the top on my desk, but the best way to get there is to be honest. If you are still completing your final pass when you submit the first fifty pages, just say so. We want you to succeed. There are a few specific things you can share with us to forge that relationship. Read and follow the contest rules and submission guidelines completely to catch our attention. First impressions are lasting.